Hinduism and Sikhism 4622380 225605834 2008-07-14T14:58:21Z Editor2020 6046894 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 225362493 by [[Special:Contributions/90.197.26.208|90.197.26.208]] ([[User talk:90.197.26.208|talk]])rv non-encyclopedic edit {{misleading}} [[Hinduism]] and [[Sikhism]], both religions from [[India]], have had a complex relationship. Sikhism as a religion is among the newer world religions, while Hinduism is often considered the oldest and a [[Dharmic]] faith. Historically, some cases of Hindu-Sikh intermarriage have been found acceptable. <ref> The Sikh Rahit Maryada approved in 1951 (http://www.sgpc.net/rehat_maryada/section_one.html) specifically states: "A Sikh's daughter must be married to a Sikh", permitting Sikh men to marry Hindu wives which they often do. Prohibition of Sikh girls marrying Hindus was a 20th century decision and is not found in historical Rahit Namas. However, before this [[Anand Karaj]] has always been for one Sikh to another, infact Sikhs wanting to take part in the Anand Karaj had to first take [[Amrit]]Also, there are examples of Hindu and Sikh shrines being located in close proximity; Sikhs have no "pilgrimage sites" with the possible exception of the Golden Temple; however, Hindus seem to hold the site in high regard.<ref>In some cases Hindu and Sikh shrines are both present in the same compound for example at Sadhu Bela [http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/gurudwaras/gurudwara-sadhu-bela-sukkur.html] and Katas Raj [http://www.allaboutsikhs.com/gurudwaras/gurudwara-pehli-patshahi-katas-distt-chakwal.html]</ref> == Hindus and Sikhism in Punjab == {{Totally-disputed-section|date=March 2008}} ''main article [[Contemporary Sant Mat movements]]'' Hinduism in Punjab is usually held by Sants who claim to incorporate a personal and private path of spiritual development in the common tradition of mystics past and present. They discuss the irrelevance of rituals, priestly class, mandatory contributions, and compulsory gatherings of Hindus and Sikhs, they are regarded as the real Hindu/Sikh who follow teachings from both religons Sikhism and Hinduism. These movements are more present in Punjab. However in Sikhism, the tenth Guru stated that as a Sikh, one must not follow any other religion. Punjabi Hindus hold Sikhism in high regard, many Punjabi Hindus not only in India but worldwide today visit their local Gurudwaras regularly and adhere to the preaching’s of the Guru Granth Sahib. Sikhism is traditionally seen as a religion of warriors who were protectors of those who could not defend themselves. During Mughal rule it was protecting Hindus against marauding Islamic invaders who sought to convert Hindus to Islam by lethal force and against oppressive Mughal government and religious extremism of Mughal Emperors and specially that of Aurangzeb. Though it should be noted that the role of Sikhism is to protect humanity, not any specific set of people or religion. There has been a long standing practice in Punjab which still continuous where Hindu families give their first born son to the Guru to be baptized as a Khalsa Sikh and join the Guru’s army of protectors. This practice started when Guru Gobind Singh in 1699 asked the Hindu families to give him their eldest sons to help raise the new Khalsa Army to protect Dharma and all against Mughal tyranny and forced conversions to Islam. As it is the Hindu religious duty of every Kshatriya including every Rajput to bear arms and protect society and the Dharma, local Punjabi Hindu Kshtriya families including Rajputs living in Punjab keenly supported the Guru and offered him their eldest sons all too willingly and the tradition continued hence many Punjabi Rajput families too have been giving their eldest sons to be enrolled in the Guru’s Army and baptized as Khalsa Sikhs. Thus there are many Hindu, Punjabi Hindu Rajput and Punjabi Hindu Mair Rajput families whose kin are proud followers of Sikhism today with their eldest sons as baptized Khalsa Sikhs. Thus there are many Sikhs who call themselves "Sikh Rajputs" today and still use Rajput family names. However, this is in direct contradiction within Sikh teachings as once baptized into the Khalsa, the only caste, creed and lineage is now the Khalsa. Hindu families during the British Empire often brought up their sons as a Kesadhari Sikh.<ref>Khushwant Singh and Kuldip Nayar: Tragedy of Punjab, p.20-21, quoted by V.P. Bhatia: “Secularisation of a Martyrdom”, Organiser, 11-11998. </ref> Hindu and Sikh communities have also frequently intermarried.<ref>e.g., Khushwant Singh and Kuldip Nayar: Tragedy of Punjab, p.20-21, quoted by V.P. Bhatia: “Secularization of a Martyrdom”, Organiser, 11-11998.</ref>Sikhs can often be told apart by physical appearance. Hindus refer to God by many names such as "Rama,", "Krishna" or "Durga", however they view these human forms of God as a symbolic represenation of One universal ultimate Truth and reality called "Aum" or "Brahman" that is omnipresent and eternal and resides in all living entities as professed by every Hindu scripture. Sikhs refer God as "Waheguru" or "Raab," and the Sikh God is omnipotent, omnipresent, formless, genderless. This God is referred to in both male and female tenses throughout the Guru Granth, showing the nature of a single creator. Rama, Krishna etc. are considered mere creations of God and are nowhere near God's greatness, in Guru Granth Sahib Ji they are also crticised as being filled with ego. Therefore, Sikhs are strictly forbade from worshipping them, but must worship the One alone as described in the Mool Mantar and praised throughout Guru Granth Sahib Ji. == History of similarities and differences between Hindu traditions and Sikhism == === Nanak, was born in a Hindu [[Khatri]] family. However, he declared that all are equal in the eyes of God in his famous proclamation ''"I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim."''<ref> Adi Granth[http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=1136&english=t&id=48600#l48600 Page 1136] This is often quoted to suggest that he intended to start a religion different from both Hinduism and Islam. However this is not what Nanak says.{{Or|date=February 2008}} The words are:{{Lopsided}} ਏਕੁ ਗੁਸਾਈ ਅਲਹੁ ਮੇਰਾ ॥ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਤੁਰਕ ਦੁਹਾਂ ਨੇਬੇਰਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ I have One, who is both Gusain (Hindu Lord) and Allah, who administers both Hindus and Turks. ਨਾ ਹਮ ਹਿੰਦੂ ਨ ਮੁਸਲਮਾਨ ॥ ਅਲਹ ਰਾਮ ਕੇ ਪਿੰਡੁ ਪਰਾਨ ॥੪॥ I am neither a Hindu or Muslim, but a body made alive by Allah/Ram. ਕਹੁ ਕਬੀਰ ਇਹੁ ਕੀਆ ਵਖਾਨਾ ॥ ਗੁਰ ਪੀਰ ਮਿਲਿ ਖੁਦਿ ਖਸਮੁ ਪਛਾਨਾ ॥੫॥੩॥ Kabir has said this - meeting with Guru/Pir I have recognized the lord. W.H McLeod believes that the verse is by Kabir and not Nanak. </ref> A unity between Hindus and Muslims under the teachings and revelations of the Guru. The Guru had some familiar and common beliefs as in Hindu concepts like [[Karma]], [[Dharma]], [[Reincarnation]], and meditating on God's name to break the cycle of birth.{{Fact|date=February 2007}} Before [[Guru Nanak]]'s demise, he instructed his disciple [[Guru Angad Dev]] to carry on the teachings of his religion as Guru Angad had shown selflessness, compassion and endless service and was in tuned with the teachings of his Master, Guru [[Nanak]]. [[Sri Chand]], one of his sons, founded the [[Udasi]] order. Various orders have arisen since the beginning of Sikhism, such as the [[Radhasoami]]s and the [[Nirankari]]s. It is debatable whether these religions constitute offshoots of Sikhism or merely differing Sikh philosophies. {{Or|date=February 2008}}The [[Khalsa]], ordained by [[Guru Gobind Singh]], is regarded by many Sikhs as being the completion of the development of the Sikh religion. === Guru Tegh Bahadur === In 1675 Aurangzeb caused the matyrdom of [[Guru Tegh Bahadur]]. He had gone to Aurangzeb on behalf of Kashmiri Pandits, who requested him to plead against their forceful conversion. Aurangzeb asked Guru Tegh Bahadur to convert and had him executed after he refused to convert to Islam.<ref>Vedalankar, Kshitish: Storm in Punjab. Word Publ., Delhi 1985 (1984). (This work contains the full text of Guru Tegh Bahadur's reply to Aurangzeb)</ref> According to Kushwant Singh, when "Guru Tegh Bahadur was summoned to Delhi, he went as a protector of the Hindus and encourage them to stand against the increasing oppression of the Mughals. He was executed in the year 1675. His son who succeeded him as Guru later described his father's martyrdom as in the cause of the humanity. Guru Tegh Bahadar undertook the supreme sacrifice for the protection of the most fundamental of human rights - the right of a person to freely practice his or her religion without interference or hindrance. This is why Guru Tegh Bahadur is also known as (Tegh Bahadur, Hind Di Chadar" (Tegh Bahadur, Protector of Hindus). Guru Tegh Bahadur is also honored by Hindus and the Guru Tegh Bahadur Martyrdom Day is also observed by many Hindus.<ref>Ram Prakash: Guru Tegh Bahadur, the Patriot by Excellence. Suruchi Prakashan, Delhi 1987., and Koenraad Elst: Who is a Hindu (2001)</ref> == Maharaja Ranjit Singh == Also called "Sher-e-Punjab" ("The Lion of the Punjab") (1780-1839) was a Sikh emperor and the founder of [[Sikh]] Empire.[[Ranjit Singh]] crowned himself as the ruler of Punjab and willed the [[Koh-i-noor]] back to its original location at [[Jagannath Temple]] in [[Orissa]] while on his deathbed in 1839. This clearly indicate relationship between Hindus and Sikhs- a great sikh king gave gift to Hindu temple- the precious [[Koh-i-noor]] diamond. === 19th century === The Sikh scholar Harjot Oberoi has argued that in the nineteenth century, the [[Singh Sabha]] movement, began to view the non-monolithic world view of Sikhism with suspicion and hostility, and tried to redefine a more limited Sikh identity.[http://www.press.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/hfs.cgi/00/12752.ctl]{{Lopsided}} == Similarities == Here are some of the similarities between Hinduism and Sikhism: * At the time of the Gurus, most North Indian families would remain Hindu while the eldest son was a "Sikh." This suggests unity and not separation.<ref>Many Hindu families brought up one of their sons as a kesadhari Sikh. Khushwant Singh and Kuldip Nayar: Tragedy of Punjab, p.20-21, quoted by V.P. Bhatia: "Secularisation of a Martyrdom", Organiser, 11-11998. </ref> * Many Hindus visit Sikh temples{{Fact|date=February 2007}}. For instance, the Hemkhund Sahib in the Indian State of [[Uttarakhand]] is regarded as a pilgrimage site by the adherents of Hindus [http://www.pilgrimage-india.com/sikh-pilgrimage/hemkund-sahib.html] and a Temple and Gurudwaara exist close together on the banks of the same lake there. *When a Sikh dies, cremation is the preferred method<ref>[http://www.sikhs.org/fest.htm The Sikhism Home Page: Sikh Religious Philosophy<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>. This is the same in Hinduism, although this is a cultural similarity between many cultures. *Many Sikhs share the same names as Hindus, like Veer, Jeet, Preet, Inder etc., as they are in close geographical proximity. ===Mutual views=== {{POV-section|date=March 2008}} In the Hindu and Sikh traditions, there is a distinction between religion and culture, and ethical decisions are grounded in both religious beliefs and cultural values. Both Hindu and Sikh ethics are primarily duty based. Traditional teachings deal with the duties of individuals and families to maintain a lifestyle conducive to physical, mental and spiritual health. These traditions share a culture and world view that includes ideas of karma and rebirth, collective versus individual identity, and a strong emphasis on spiritual purity.[http://www.cmaj.ca/cgi/content/full/163/9/1167] The notion of [[dharma]], [[karma]], [[prasad]], [[moksha]] and a belief in rebirth are very important for many Hindus and Sikhs as they make ethical decisions surrounding birth and death. Unlike the linear view of life taken in [[Abrahamic]] religions, for Hindus and Sikhs life, birth and death are repeated, for each person, in a continuous cycle. What a person does in each life influences the circumstances and predispositions experienced in future lives. In essence, every action or thought, whether noble or sinful, has consequences that are carried forward into the next life. When a similar situation is encountered, memories of past lives arise in the consciousness as an impulse to perform actions or think thoughts similar to the earlier ones. This impulse does not necessarily compel the person to repeat the act or thought. As proclaimed in the Guru Granth Sahib: ''Mortals obtain a human body as a result of good deeds but he reaches the gate of salvation with God's kind grace.'' (Guru Nanak, Japji). === Common Sikh views of Hinduism === ====References to Vedas==== The following verses from the Guru Granth Sahib shed some light on its views on some aspects of Hindu scripture: Sikhism does not have belief in Heaven/Hell system, transmigration, inequality of caste and gender and held the Vedas responsible for these fallacies in the contemporary society, the quote below from second Sikh Guru mentions the same view: {{Quoter| "ਕਥਾ ਕਹਾਣੀ ਬੇਦੀ ਆਣੀ ਪਾਪੁ ਪੁੰਨੁ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ਦੇ ਦੇ ਲੈਣਾ ਲੈ ਲੈ ਦੇਣਾ ਨਰਕਿ ਸੁਰਗਿ ਅਵਤਾਰ ॥" <br> "It is the teachings of Vedas, which has created the concepts of sin and virtue, hell and heaven, and karma and transmigration. One reaps the reward in the next life for the deeds performed in this life -- goes to hell or heaven according to one’s deeds. The Vedas have also created the fallacy of inequality of caste and gender for the world."| Aad Guru Granth Sahib, p. 1243}} * Page 463 - ਵਿਸਮਾਦੁ ਨਾਦ ਵਿਸਮਾਦੁ ਵੇਦ ॥ - Wonderful is the sound current of the Naad, wonderful is the knowledge of the Vedas. * Page 791 - ਬੇਦ ਪਾਠ ਮਤਿ ਪਾਪਾ ਖਾਇ ॥ - Reading the Vedas, sinful intellect is destroyed. * Page 941 - ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਪਰਚੈ ਬੇਦ ਬੀਚਾਰੀ ॥ - The Gurmukh is pleasing to the True Guru; this is contemplation on the Vedas. * Page 942 - ਗੁਰਮੁਖਿ ਸਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਸਿਮ੍ਰਿਤਿ ਬੇਦ ॥ - The Gurmukh understands the Simritees, the Shaastras and the Vedas. * Page 1188 - ਬੇਦ ਵਖਾਣਿ ਕਹਹਿ ਇਕੁ ਕਹੀਐ ॥ - The Vedas say that we should chant the Name of the One Lord. * Page 148 - ਵੇਦ ਕਹਹਿ ਵਖਿਆਣ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਵਣਾ ॥ - The Vedas speak and expound on the Lord, but they do not know His limits. * Page 355 - ਅਸਟ ਦਸੀ ਚਹੁ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ॥ - The eighteen Puraanas and the four Vedas do not know His mystery. * [[Guru Nanak]], on page 1021 - ਬੇਦ ਕਤੇਬੀ ਭੇਦੁ ਨ ਜਾਤਾ ॥ - Neither the Vedas (four Hindu texts) nor the four Katebas [Semitic texts: the Torah, the Zabur (Psalms), the Injil (Gospel), and the Quran] know the mystery (of the Creator of the Cosmos).<ref name="DrBaldevSingh">{{Citation | last1 = Singh | first1 = Baldev | title = Is Guru Nanak Hindu or Muslim?| newspaper = SikhSpectrum| volume=| issue=30| date = November, 2007| year =2007}}</ref> * Page 1126 - ਸਾਸਤ੍ਰ ਬੇਦ ਤ੍ਰੈ ਗੁਣ ਹੈ ਮਾਇਆ ਅੰਧੁਲਉ ਧੰਧੁ ਕਮਾਈ ॥੩॥ - The Shaastras and the Vedas keep the mortal bound to the three modes of Maya, and so he performs his deeds blindly. ||3|| * Page 1237 - ਨਵ ਛਿਅ ਖਟ ਕਾ ਕਰੇ ਬੀਚਾਰੁ ॥ ਨਿਸਿ ਦਿਨ ਉਚਰੈ ਭਾਰ ਅਠਾਰ ॥ ਤਿਨਿ ਭੀ ਅੰਤੁ ਨ ਪਾਇਆ ਤੋਹਿ ॥ - You may study the nine grammars, the six Shaastras and the six divisions of the Vedas. You may recite the Mahaabhaarata. Even these cannot find the limits of the Lord. {{Quoter|Bhairao, Fifth Mehl - ''I do not perform Hindu worship services, nor do I offer the Muslim prayers...'' Guru Arjan Dev Page 1078 - ''Even the Vedas do not know the Guru's Glory. They narrate only a tiny bit of what is heard''|The Guru Granth Sahib}} == Differences == Like many [[bhakti]] saints within Hinduism, Guru Nanak, together with other elements of Sikh canon, rejected many tenets of Hinduism, such as: *Sikhism is a monotheistic religion; Sikhs believe there is only one God, who has infinite qualities and names. Hinduism is a diverse system of thought with beliefs spanning monotheism, polytheism,panentheism, pantheism, monism and atheism. It is sometimes referred to as henotheistic (devotion to a single God while accepting the existence of other gods), but any such term is an oversimplification of the complexities and variations of belief. *The Janeo (Hindu sacred thread), or 'confirmation' ritual of Hinduism. *The worship of deities, idols, symbols or ancestor worship. Although Guru Granth Sahib has many references to Hindu dieties and Guru Gobind Singh wrote poems on Shiva and Durga. Many Sikhs go to Hindu temples and pilgrimages. Sikhs outside India try to portray Sikhism as a completely different from Hinduism. *The caste system or the practice of considering certain people "untouchable" which is no longer considered a Hindu belief but a Hindu Social system. Even though Sikhism tried to remove the Cast system, most Sikhs prefer to marry within their own casts. *Sikhs do not believe in going on pilgrimages or bathing at Holy rivers. *The Sikh Gurus also stated that knowledge of God was beyond the religious texts. {{Quoter| Page 747, Line 18 - ''One may read all the books of the Vedas, the Simritees and the Shaastras, but they alone will not bring liberation.<br>''}} There have always been people who have argued that [[Hinduism]] and [[Sikhism]], were never supposed to separate into two separate religions. {{Fact|date=February 2007}} These arguments have been made almost exclusively by Hindu leaders. The argument is that the [[Guru]]s were trying to unite everyone under God instead of separating people into a Hindu and Sikh category. It could also be argued that the Gurus were trying to unify the Muslims along with Hindus. Many Hindus want to claim the role of fighting against oppression for themselves, rather than becoming allied under pressure by the Mughals as they were known to do. However, the majority of Sikhs believe that the two religions have been separate from the beginning of Sikhism <ref name=ChahalSikhismUnq>{{cite journal |last=Chahal |first= Dr. Devindar Singh |authorlink= |coauthors= |year=2006 |month=Jan-June |title=Is Sikhism a Unique Religion or a Vedantic Religion |journal=Understanding Sikhism |volume=8 |issue=1 |pages= 3,4,5 |id= |url= |accessdate= 2007-11-24 |quote= }}</ref> . They state that the Gurus were receiving the beliefs and practices from God as the Gurus constantly stated that they were not part of the Hindu or Muslim religions. One belief in Sikhism that is commonly cited in support of this is the belief in equality between men and women, regardless of background or race. Secularist{{Disputed-inline}} Sikh writers like [[Khushwant Singh]] have written that despite innovations, "this new community, the Khalsa Panth, remained an integral part of the Hindu social and religious system. It is significant that when Tegh Bahadur was summoned to Delhi, he went as a representative of the Hindus. He was executed in the year 1675. His son who succeeded him as guru later described his father’s martyrdom as in the cause of the Hindu faith, ‘to preserve their caste marks and their sacred thread did he perform the supreme sacrifice’. The guru himself looked upon his community as an integral part of the Hindu social system.”<ref>Khushwant Singh and Bipan Chandra: Many Faces of Communalism. CRRID, Chandigarh 1985.</ref> === Cultural differences === Many social anthropologists have historically categorized Sikhs as a separate ethno-religious group, with its own distinct identity shaped by Mughal conflict, communalism, and a worldview including the events of 1984.<ref>Eames, Edwin and Robby, Robert (1978). "The Wulfranian and the Punjabi Conflict, Identity and Adaptation." Anthropological Quarterly 51:207-219.</ref> In the Sikh diaspora, Sikhs see themselves completely distinct from Hindus (but this is not an issue per se with Punjabi Hindus who share a cultural and ethnic bond with Punjabi Sikhs), and have an ethnic identity of 'Punjabi Sikh,' which is often their most salient identity, even for those who are first-generation immigrants. Such constructions have led to some tensions between Sikh and Hindu youth in Canada.<ref> Gibson, Margaret A., (1988). Accommodation Without Assimilation: Sikh Immigrants in an American High School. Cornell University Press.</ref> ===Foundation of Sikh Panth=== * 1478: [[Guru Nanak Dev]] stated that he wanted nothing to do with a religion that only allowed the highest classes in society to be regarded as religious.{{Or|date=February 2008}} * 1480: [[Guru Nanak]] refused to wear ''Janeu'' (sacred thread of Hindus) at the age of eleven years. * 1509: Guru Nanak's Declaration ''"I am not a Hindu, nor am I a Muslim"''Alah rām kė pind parān. ||4|| My body and breath of life belong to Allah - to Raam - the God of both. ||4|| .<ref>[http://www.srigranth.org/servlet/gurbani.gurbani?Action=Page&Param=1136&english=t&id=48600#l48600 Page 1136]</ref> * 1509-1539: Guru Nanak preached against idol worship and condemned asceticsm which was basic feature of Hindu society. He did not attach any importance to penance and fasting. He repudiated the Hindu mythology. * 1539: The followers of Guru Nanak are called Sikhs * 1699: [[Guru Gobind Singh]], the tenth Guru, established the [[Khalsa]] order and the [[five Ks]] to ensure that Khalsa kept a distinct identity and were able to defend themselves in war. Guru Gobind Singh was only inspired by God with Gods help a distinct religion was established. * 1873: The first [[Tat Khalsa|Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha]] was founded in [[Amritsar]]. They worked towards spreading the essence of Sikh scriptures against, what they considered as attempts to subvert Sikhism from within.<ref>{{cite book | last = Singh | first = Patwant | authorlink = | coauthors = | title = The Sikhs | publisher = Knopf | date = 2000 | location = | pages = 184 | url = | doi = | id = | isbn = 0375407286}}</ref> In a short span of time the number of ''Singh Sabhas'' rose to 117 in Punjab. * 1879: Another [[Tat Khalsa|Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha]] was founded by Sikhs in Lahore to counter [[Sanatan Singh Sabha]], which advocated the view that Sikhism is a part of [[Dharmic]] tradition. They held the view that anybody who accepts the doctrine of Guru Nanak is a Sikh, and included many non-Sikhs, who did not follow orthodox Sikhism, into the Sikh fold. * 1889: [[Bhai Kahn Singh Nabha]] writes "Ham Hindu Nahin Hai" (I am not a Hindu). * 1909: [[Max Arthur Macauliffe]] published "Sikh Religion:Its Gurus, Sacred Writings, and Authors." He is widely accredited for the translation of the Guru Granth Sahib from [[Gurmukhi]] to [[English language|English]]. * 1920: [[SGPC|Shiromani Gurdwara Prabhandak Committee]] ([[SGPC]]) formed. * 1920s: Nankana Sahib, Punja Sahib, Golden Temple, TarnTaran Sahib taken over from the mahants,{{Or|date=February 2008}} with support by general population of Sikhs. The mahants had maintained the shrines since the time of the Gurus themselves. {{Or|date=February 2008}} * 1915, 1931: New [[Reht Maryada]] compiled to replace existing Rahits after consultations with distinguished Sikh scholars. * 1950: Sikh Reht Maryada was approved. ===Differences Sikhism and specific Hindu traditions=== ==== Idol worship ==== The worship of ''[[murti]]''s (idols) is an important part of several Hindu traditions, such as [[Vaishnavism]] and [[Shaivism]], although some Hindu denominations like [[Arya Samaj]] and [[Satya Mahima Dharma]] have rejected idol worship. Sikhs do not believe in worship of any sort of physical idol, symbol, picture, or statue. Pictures of Gurus and the book itself are not directly prayed to or revered in place of Sikhism's formless God. Pictures of Gurus are not a requirement in the Gurdwara, and they are often not even displayed in the Darbar Sahib (prayer hall), but by the eating areas and the shoe-removing areas. This shows the low level of spiritual reverence for physical representions of the Gurus, as opposed to prayer (Prayer is not a "verbal idol"). Fanning of the Guru Granth Sahib is a tradition carried over from Punjab to protect the Granth and its reader from airborne debris, as outside worship was common. Only recital of prayers and listening to hymns make up Sikh prayer in front of gurus pictures (idol). As the following quote states: {{Quoter| "ਦੇਵੀ ਦੇਵਾ ਪੂਜੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਕਿਆ ਮਾਗਉ ਕਿਆ ਦੇਹਿ ॥ ਪਾਹਣੁ ਨੀਰਿ ਪਖਾਲੀਐ ਭਾਈ ਜਲ ਮਹਿ ਬੂਡਹਿ ਤੇਹਿ ॥ <br> O brother, you worship gods and goddesses. What can you ask of them and what can they give to you? O brother, the stones/idols you wash with water sink in water (in other words how could these stones help you cross the ocean of worldly temptations)" <ref name="DrBaldevSingh">{{Citation | last1 = Singh | first1 = Baldev | title = Is Guru Nanak Hindu or Muslim?| newspaper = SikhSpectrum| volume=| issue=30| date = November, 2007| year =2007}}</ref>| Aad Guru Granth Sahib - page 637 }} ==== Vegetarianism ==== Some Hindu traditions, such as [[Vaishnavism]], emphasize strict [[vegetarianism]]. Some Sikhs believe that there is to be strict vegetarianism while others believe the only meat that is expressly forbidden for Sikhs to consume is [[Halal]]/[[Kosher]] (Kutha) meat, or the meat of animals slowly and ceremoniously killed in sacrificing rituals. Several Gurus such as Guru Hargobind Sahib and Guru Gobind Singh hunted frequently and consumed non-Halal meat. The [[Guru Granth Sahib]] states:<ref>Page 1289 Guru Granth Sahib</ref> {{Quoter|''First Mehl:''<br> ''The fools argue about flesh and meat, but they know nothing about meditation and spiritual wisdom.''<br> ''What is called meat, and what is called green vegetables? What leads to sin?''<br> ''It was the habit of the gods to kill the rhinoceros, and make a feast of the burnt offering.'' <br> ''Those who renounce meat, and hold their noses when sitting near it, devour men at night.'' <br> ''They practice hypocrisy, and make a show before other people, but they do not understand anything about meditation or spiritual wisdom.'' <br> ''O Nanak, what can be said to the blind people? They cannot answer, or even understand what is said.'' <br> ''They alone are blind, who act blindly. They have no eyes in their hearts.'' <br> ''They are produced from the blood of their mothers and fathers, but they do not eat fish or meat.'' <br>| The Guru Granth Sahib }} ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==References== * Shackle, Christopher; Mandair, Arvind-Pal Singh (2005). Teachings of the Sikh Gurus: Selections from the Sikh Scriptures. United Kingdom: Routledge, xiii-xiv. ISBN 0-415-26604-1. * Rosetta William, Sikh Gurus, Har-Anand Publications PVT Ltd (India), 2002, First edition, ISBN 8124107165 * Professor Kartar Singh, Biography of Guru Nanak, Hemkunt Press (India), 1995, Sixth edition, ISBN 81-7010-162-X == See also == * [[Islam and the Sikh Panth]] == Further reading == *K.P. Agrawala: Adi Shrî Gurû Granth Sâhib kî Mahimâ (Hindi: “The greatness of the original sacred Guru scripture”) *Elst, Koenraad: ''[[Who is a Hindu?]]'', 2001. ISBN 81-85990-74-3 [http://koenraadelst.voiceofdharma.com/books/wiah/index.htm] *Rajendra Singh Nirala: Ham Hindu Hain, 1989. Ham Hindu Kyon, 1990. Delhi: Voice of India. *E. Trumpp. Adi Granth or the Holy Scripture of the Sikhs, Munshiram Manoharlal, Delhi 1970. *McLeod, W.H.:(ed.) Textual Sources for the Study of Sikhism. Manchester University Press, Manchester 1984. , -: Who Is a Sikh? The Problem of Sikh Identity. Clarendon Press, Oxford 1989. * [[Harjot Oberoi]], The Construction of Religious Boundaries : Culture, Identity, and Diversity in the Sikh Tradition, University Of Chicago Press 1994. *Rajendra Singh: Sikkha Itihâsa mein Râma Janmabhûmi. *Swarup, Ram: Hindu-Sikh Relationship. Voice of India, Delhi 1985. -: Whither Sikhism? Voice of India, Delhi 1991. *{{cite book|last=Talib|first=Gurbachan|authorlink=Gurbachan Singh Talib|title= [[Muslim League Attack on Sikhs and Hindus in the Punjab 1947]]|year=1950|publisher=[[Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee]]|location=India}}[http://www.bharatvani.org/books/mla/ Online 1] [http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC03809888&id=9fQLAAAAIAAJ&q=Muslim+League+Attack+on+Sikhs+and+Hindus+in+the+Punjab+1947&dq=Muslim+League+Attack+on+Sikhs+and+Hindus+in+the+Punjab+1947&pgis=1 Online 2] [http://allaboutsikhs.com/books/gst/ Online 3] (A free copy of this book can be read from any 3 of the included "Online Sources" of this free “Online Book”) ==External links== * Jasbir S. Mann. ''[http://www.sikhmarg.com/english/sikhs-not-hindus.html Sikhs are not Hindus]'' (includes a tabular comparison of Sikhism with three Hindu traditions) * [http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/writers/KahnSingh/Kahn%20Singh%20Nabha.htm Kahn Singh Nabha] * [http://www.sikh-heritage.co.uk/writers/macauliffe/macauliffe.htm MA McAuliffe] * [http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/sikhism/tat.html Tat Khalsa Singh Sabha] * [http://www.hinduonnet.com/2003/03/04/stories/2003030400951000.htm Are the Sikhs Hindus?] * [http://www.sarbloh.info/htmls/article_samparda_tatkhalsa.html Tat Khalsa Singh Sabhias] * [http://www.sikhtimes.com/bios_021503a.html Khushwant Singh: "Guru Granth Sahib reflects Vedantic philosophy"] * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/sikhism/ritesrituals/weddings.shtml Sikh marriage ceremony] * [http://www.projectnaad.com/wp-content/uploads/leaflets/is_sikhism_out_of_hinduism.pdf Is Sikhism a Tradition out of Hinduism?] * [http://www.projectnaad.com/wp-content/uploads/leaflets/sikhism_and_hinduism.pdf Sikhism and Hinduism - a brief comparative study] {{Hinduism footer small}} [[Category:Hinduism and other religions]]